The Thirteenth Hour

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The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies

SPFBO8 SPFBO Finalist

When the saints fail, the sinners step up. Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted. Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target. To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands. For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it. The Thirteenth Hour is the first book in The Cruel Gods series—a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website.

AdultFantasyFantasy/Steampunk, Gaslamp, and FlintlockDiversity Representation/LGBTQ+


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Booksthatburn avatar Booksthatburn book blogger

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well
Content Warnings: Graphic CW for grief, classism, religious bigotry, death. CW for cursing, toxic relationship, emotional abuse, physical abuse, kidnapping, confinement, institutionalization, mental illness, fire, injury detail, rape, torture, slavery, genocide.

Review posts on 4/14/2024

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Lore_lullabies avatar Lore_lullabies

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

The Thirteenth Hour is a steampunk dark fantasy with incredible world building that sucks you in and immerses you in the world of Chime until the very last page.

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SKaeth avatar SKaeth author

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well

Incredible gaslamp fantasy with an impressive array of distinct races. Amazing pacing, intriguing worldbuilding, and characters you can't help but root for!


armedwithabook avatar armedwithabook book blogger

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well
Content Warnings: See Trudie's website for full list

Haven't been able to get this out of my head since I finished it. One of my longest review on the blog. :)

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